Journal of Selçuk University Natural and Applied Science Online ISSN: 2147-3781 www.josunas.org 1(4): 23-29 In vivo antimicrobial activity of Rheum ribes ekstracts obtained from various plant parts from Turkey Yusuf ALAN a , Nurcan ERBIL b1* , Metin DIGRAK c a Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Mus Alparslan University, Mus, Turkey b Healthcare Vocationalschool, Ardahan University, 75000, Ardahan, Turkey c Dept of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Univ., 46000, Kahramanmaras, Turkey Abstract Different parts of Rheum ribes used as medicinal herb in several place of Turkey were extracted with five different organic solvent such as chlorophorm, hexane, acetone, ethanol, and methanol. Antimicrobial activities of these extracts were tested against test microorganisms. Consequently none of extract of leaf did not affect test microorganisms. Methanol and ethanol extracts obtained from root, stalk, and seed of Rheum ribes exhibited antimicrobial activity against test microorganisms at various rate. Furthermore, it was determinated that the most sensitive microorganisms among test microorganisms were Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048. “Key words: Antimicrobial activity; extract; Rheum ribes” Introduction Polygonaceae family is represented by eight genera and 70 species in Turkey. Rheum ribes is the simple species growing in Turkey (Cullen, 1966). Rheum ribes L. which is the perennial plant from Polygonaceae family is element of Iran-Turan phitogeographic region. It was reported that this plant grows in East Anatolian of Turkey and other countries such as Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq (North Iraq) and Iran (Davis, 1965-1984). Rheum ribes is locally known as “ışgın, ışkın, uşgun or, uçgun”. This plant grows especially at rocky and gravelly sides. Rheum ribes shoots which can grow until 40 cm length have got leaf at base but not at upward. Fresh shoots and leafs traditionally eaten fresh and also cooked. Rheum ribes is the source of one of the most important crude drugs in the Middle East (Kashiwada et al., 1988). Rheum ribes roots are used as oriental laxative medicine and an antipsoriatic drug in Iran (Shokravi and Agha Nasiri, 1997). Young shoots and petioles of Rheum ribes are used against diarrhea as well as stomachic and antiemetic * Corresponding autor Tel and Fax: 0478 211 37 50 nurcanerbil@ardahan.edu.tr